Do You think teens should get the death penalty?

FENTON, Mo. -- Early in the morning on Sept. 9, 1993, 17-year-old Christopher Simmons and a friend quietly reached through an open window of Shirley Ann Crook's mobile home and unlocked the back door. The teens slipped into the house flipping on a hallway light as they looked for valuables to steal.

The light woke Crook, 46, who was home alone. Startled, she called out, "Who's there?" Simmons and his friend, 15-year-old Charles Benjamin, responded by bursting into her room and ordering her out of bed. They bound her hands with duct tape and taped her eyes and mouth shut. Then they forced her into the back of her minivan and drove her to a railroad trestle that spanned the nearby Meramec River.

Simmons led Crook to the edge of the bridge, tied her hands and feet together with cable, and covered her face with duct tape. Leaving only her nose uncovered, he shoved her into the river 40 feet below to drown. The next day, two fishermen found her body with a bruise the shape of a shoe on her thigh where Simmons had kicked her over the edge.

The Ultimate Punishment

It didn't take authorities long to track down Simmons. He was arrested the next day, convicted of first-degree murder, and sentenced to death. Now 27, he has spent a decade on death row.

Last summer, though, Simmons got what Crook will never get--another chance to live. The Missouri Supreme Court ruled that his death sentence violated the U.S. Constitution's Eighth Amendment safeguard against "cruel and unusual" punishment, because he was 17 at the time of the crime--too young, the justices contended, to be held fully responsible for his actions. The court changed his sentence to life in prison without chance of parole.

Prosecutors, however, think Simmons should die, and they have appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which recently agreed to hear the case. Now Simmons's fate lies in the justices' hands. If they uphold the lower court's ruling, he will spend his life in prison. If they strike it down, he'll be sent back to death row.

Simmons isn't the only one whose life hangs in the balance. There are 72 other people on death row who committed their crimes as juveniles. Experts say if the Court rules that Simmons was too young to face the death penalty when he committed his crime, then the other juvenile offenders will likely have their sentences switched to life in prison too.

A ruling is expected in the fall. In the meantime, the case has reignited a heated debate over the ultimate punishment.

Too Young to Die

Death penalty opponents say teens who are penalty opponents say teens who are too young to vote or drink alcohol are too young to be executed.

"As a society, we don't let adolescents consume alcohol, and we have different restrictions on them because we know they don't have the best judgment," said Dale Baich, a federal attorney who specializes in death-row cases. "I think we have to hold that view when we make them eligible for the death penalty."

Critics also argue that public opinion is in their favor. Only three of the 21 states that allow the punishment for teen killers have executed juvenile offenders in the past ten years. In addition, a May 2002 Gallup poll found that 69 percent of Americans oppose the death penalty for juveniles.

Even some Supreme Court justices have spoken out against the death penalty. "The practice of executing such offenders is a relic of the past and is inconsistent with evolving standards of decency in a civilized society," Justice John Paul Stevens wrote last year.

Opponents say the United States should join the rest of the world in banning death sentences for teens. The United States and Iran are the only nations that formally allow the execution of juvenile offenders.

An Eye for an Eye

If you commit a heinous crime, you deserve to die, advocates say. They contend that juries are well aware of a criminal's age when they recommend a punishment. As a result, teen killers who are sentenced to death "are the worst of the worst," Charles Hobson, an attorney with the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation, told Current Events.

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If you commit a heinous crime, you deserve to die, advocates say. They contend that juries are well aware of a criminal's age when they recommend a punishment. As a result, teen killers who are sentenced to death "are the worst of the worst," Charles Hobson, an attorney with the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation, told Current Events.

Not to rain on anyone's Pity Parade, but I had to deal wtih scores of these types at the Virginia State (or is it Commonwealth?) Capitol today. All of these little stop sign looking stickers saying to stop juvenile executions.

Personally, I think if you're old enough to murder like a man, you're old enough to die like one too. Most criminals under 18, don't get the dealth penalty, we reserve that for the lowest of low life scum, like Lee Malvo, and dumbass Gangsta wannabe's, who think the proper way to hold a firearm is sideways and doing drive by shootings is fun. People like that, regardless of some "arbitrary age of innocence", should be put down, and fast too.

We are a constitutional republic, and we either have everyone living under the same laws, or we have a class system, where certain people get off scot free due to their age, race, upbringing, political class, etc. I just hope we live in the nation with one set of laws, regardless of who you are. And bring those bastards to Virginia, we'll fry them up good.

If these anti-death penalty folks disagree with treating kids harshly for what they did, that's fine. THEY can house Jamal and Leroy Jenkins after they robbed their third family before the age of 16. I wish our death penalty system was quicker, I'm sick of seeing kids like those in the story get off due to their age. Bring on the electric bleachers, or electric swimming pool: (pool + radio + electricity = good fresh barbecued convicts)

-Jesse

http://www.boldconservative.com - A proud Red State Conservative, and Un-Reconstructed Southerner!God Bless the Troops. "Why not the Time Cube?" The only reason is educated stupidity. -TimeCube.com

I agree with Jess. At least by 16/17 the differnce between right and wrong is pretty clear. Kids are commiting worse crimes at younger ages. A 12, 13, and 10 year old broke in a 76 year old woman's house and raped her, well the 10 and 12 year old attempted to, but the 13 year old did. There is something REALLY wrong here, something needs to be done about the younger crime rate, it just keeps getting worse. Kids shouldn't be compelled to do these things "because they can". Harsher punishment for kids by the judicial system is more feasable nowdays since parents can't even spank their kids now and obviously now it's the only way to truly punish them. Death penalties of course should only be reserved for the absolute worst, but harsher sentences should be taken seriously by kids who think juvenile offenses mean nothing. I even think juvenile records shouldn't be sealed for that sole fact, these crimes mean nothing to them and they know 9 times out of 10 their records won't be taken in consideration or seen when they reach adulthood by pretty much anyone. There's no excuse for these "kids" and if they commit a serious crime they should pay for it like anyone over 18 would, especially murder. It truly disturbs me to read about adolescents and mid teen kids doing such awful things to other people.

GypsyDrug wrote:I agree with Jess. At least by 16/17 the differnce between right and wrong is pretty clear. Kids are commiting worse crimes at younger ages. A 12, 13, and 10 year old broke in a 76 year old woman's house and raped her, well the 10 and 12 year old attempted to, but the 13 year old did. There is something REALLY wrong here, something needs to be done about the younger crime rate, it just keeps getting worse. Kids shouldn't be compelled to do these things "because they can". Harsher punishment for kids by the judicial system is more feasable nowdays since parents can't even spank their kids now and obviously now it's the only way to truly punish them. Death penalties of course should only be reserved for the absolute worst, but harsher sentences should be taken seriously by kids who think juvenile offenses mean nothing. I even think juvenile records shouldn't be sealed for that sole fact, these crimes mean nothing to them and they know 9 times out of 10 their records won't be taken in consideration or seen when they reach adulthood by pretty much anyone. There's no excuse for these "kids" and if they commit a serious crime they should pay for it like anyone over 18 would, especially murder. It truly disturbs me to read about adolescents and mid teen kids doing such awful things to other people.

Some people may call it barbaric or even cry at the mere mention of it, but I think we should bring back hanging, and firing squads, and air it on tv.

Anytime someone does a heinous (+2 points for me using the word heinous!) crime, they should be put to death as quickly, as violently and as publically as the crimes they committed.

1. You rob all of your employees out of their retirement money cuz you cooked the books.... Death by a paper roller

2. You raped a woman and regardless of age (once you're old enough to do it, you're old enough to take the punishment) then you get raped yourself with a metal rod or a Roo Roo stick over and over until you die of exaustion, or blood loss.

3. You mugged, robbed, beat up a man, woman, or child for fun, a gang initiation, or whatever, then YOU will also be beaten up, mugged, robbed, by an inmate of the State's choosing.

4. You killed someone with your car, thru drunk driving, using drugs, carelessness, whatever then YOU will be put in Ted Kennedy's car in the passenger seat with your eyes taped open, your mouth taped shut, and your hands strapped behind the seat, as good ole Swimmer Ted Kennedy takes his infamous swan dive off of the pier into the Chappaquidic River.

If you think I'm too cruel and brutal, thank you. There comes a time when a civil society must take off the kid gloves and do a man's job and beat some sense into these thugs, even if it kills them in the process.

Crime will drop once people see that we don't screw around with criminals. The only things that criminals fear are an armed population, and a painful death.

:: waiting for some people to cry at my door step for my thoughts ::

-Jesse

http://www.boldconservative.com - A proud Red State Conservative, and Un-Reconstructed Southerner!God Bless the Troops. "Why not the Time Cube?" The only reason is educated stupidity. -TimeCube.com

My problem with giving the death penalty to teens is the fact that if they are under 18 they cannot legally vote. I'm not a fan of putting a group of people to death, who are legal citizens, and cannot vote to change the law if they think it is unjust. If you want to execute a person under the age of 18, then you should allow them to vote as well.

If you commit a heinous crime, you deserve to die, advocates say. They contend that juries are well aware of a criminal's age when they recommend a punishment. As a result, teen killers who are sentenced to death "are the worst of the worst," Charles Hobson, an attorney with the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation, told Current Events.

Not to rain on anyone's Pity Parade, but I had to deal wtih scores of these types at the Virginia State (or is it Commonwealth?) Capitol today. All of these little stop sign looking stickers saying to stop juvenile executions.

Personally, I think if you're old enough to murder like a man, you're old enough to die like one too. Most criminals under 18, don't get the dealth penalty, we reserve that for the lowest of low life scum, like Lee Malvo, and dumbass Gangsta wannabe's, who think the proper way to hold a firearm is sideways and doing drive by shootings is fun. People like that, regardless of some "arbitrary age of innocence", should be put down, and fast too.

We are a constitutional republic, and we either have everyone living under the same laws, or we have a class system, where certain people get off scot free due to their age, race, upbringing, political class, etc. I just hope we live in the nation with one set of laws, regardless of who you are. And bring those bastards to Virginia, we'll fry them up good.

If these anti-death penalty folks disagree with treating kids harshly for what they did, that's fine. THEY can house Jamal and Leroy Jenkins after they robbed their third family before the age of 16. I wish our death penalty system was quicker, I'm sick of seeing kids like those in the story get off due to their age. Bring on the electric bleachers, or electric swimming pool: (pool + radio + electricity = good fresh barbecued convicts)

-Jesse

I do agree that teens "girls and boys" who commit a crime under the age of 18 SHOULD get the death penalty ONLY if you meet the requirements, I mean if you have a mental defect then maybe another course of action could be taken but I say if you go out and kill someone,rob a liquor store and kill someone,etc whatever the case may be if you can act like a man take the punishment like a man dont act all bad ass when commiting the crime then punk out after you get your favorite set of bracelets put on you...When you take a life your not just taking that persons life but your also taking that person's familie's life,friends,etc not to mention your own,family,friends...Commit a crime...you should get what you deserve...If I went out and killed someone I would want to have the highest penalty I could get....weird to say that but I wouldn't want it no other way because If I didn't get executed for what I did then there really is no justice served...

If you think sex is a pain in the ass, try different position.

If you wanna talk my name is Kinky Thing
If you wanna flirt I'm your secret fling
I'm your cyberslut, gonna make you see
I can make you happy if you play with me

jodax wrote:My problem with giving the death penalty to teens is the fact that if they are under 18 they cannot legally vote. I'm not a fan of putting a group of people to death, who are legal citizens, and cannot vote to change the law if they think it is unjust. If you want to execute a person under the age of 18, then you should allow them to vote as well.

That makes no sense...

We aren't talking about putting to death sane, rational people, we're talking about CONVICTED KILLERS who's only saving grace to some wussies, is that they're under the magic age of 18.

So according to you, since they can't vote, they should be given a free ride to life in prision instead of being put out of OUR misery? So should all convicted felons get the right to vote since they're on death row?

-Jesse

http://www.boldconservative.com - A proud Red State Conservative, and Un-Reconstructed Southerner!God Bless the Troops. "Why not the Time Cube?" The only reason is educated stupidity. -TimeCube.com

i am not big on the massive long explainations but i will make it short and sweet. i believe in teenagers being tried as adults, but i do not agree with the death penalty in general.

don't tear me apart or anything, it's just an opinion that sticks with me.

I have no problem that you're against the death penalty. At least you're consistent, and not the type who are for the death penalty for adults, but not for kids who commit the same crime. All I ask for is consistency, and you fulfilled it. Thank you.

-Jesse

http://www.boldconservative.com - A proud Red State Conservative, and Un-Reconstructed Southerner!God Bless the Troops. "Why not the Time Cube?" The only reason is educated stupidity. -TimeCube.com